Saucepan for grain steeping?

[Alehouserock]

It seems the more I read they say you should only use less than a gallon of pound for steeping grain.

Would it make sense to buy a dedicated sauce pan for only steeping and get my water heated up for the extract addition while the grain steeps?

 

[Poindexter]

Yes and no.

If you "need" another saucepan to make beer with steeping grains, then yes get one.

If you can make beer with steeping grains using what you already own, spend the dough on something else- maybe a case of beer to expand your bottle collection?

If you do buy a sauce pan, it doesn't need to be dedicated "beer only" as long as you keep it clean. Either of SS or the various teflons will do fine.

 

[Marko73]

I do this exact method. I steep my grains in a smaller saucepan while heating the water in the larger pot.

I use the same saucepan I use for cooking. I just make sure it is clean. Also remember, that the steep water will be boiled, so I don't think you need a dedicated pan.

+1 to Poindexter. 20 or 30$ could buy some other useful brew equipment.

 

[Yooper]

You can steep in a bowl, or a pot, or anything, so no need to buy one unless you don't have any cookware and could use it for other things.

But yes, it's usually more convenient to steep your grains while you're bringing up the water to boiling temperature in a different pot. Then, after steeping, just add the resulting liquor to the brewpot.

 

[JJL]

I've found an extra suacepan to be convenient. I bought a 3 or 4 quart pan. I've just found it to be a good all purpose tool. You can steep in it. You can heat sparge water in it while your grains are steeping in your brew pot. You can boil extra water in it to add to your main boil when you do your hops additions. I've seen quite a few partial boil recipes that tell you to start with 3 gallons of water and then tell you to top off your boil to 3 gallons periodically throughout the boil process.

But, as the rest of these guys have said, if it's a one trick tool for you, you might want to consider other cheaper alternatives.

 

[Byrdbrewer]

so does this mean that there is no benifit in steeping in a larger volume of water ? I was under the impression that the larger volume of grain steep water the better.

 

[JJL]

so does this mean that there is no benifit in steeping in a larger volume of water ? I was under the impression that the larger volume of grain steep water the better.

Generally, you want to keep the volume of water low. Maybe up to 2 qts per pound max if you can.

 

[Byrdbrewer]

Generally, you want to keep the volume of water low. Maybe up to 2 qts per pound max if you can.

interesting ... could you please explain why??

 

[Yooper]

interesting ... could you please explain why??

It has to do with pH, and enzymes for conversion if there is some base malt in the steep.

In a steep with grains like crystal malt, it really doesn't matter. But sometimes, there are other grains like Munich malt or victory malt and you have to make sure to do it "right" and use no more than 2 quarts of water per pound of grain, and maintain a temperature of 150-155. It's just easier to always do that, and then you don't have to try to figure out which grains need it, and which grains don't.

 

[Alehouserock]

I've seen quite a few partial boil recipes that tell you to start with 3 gallons of water and then tell you to top off your boil to 3 gallons periodically throughout the boil process.

On this note, separate question now all together. Would it hurt or change anything to keep the water volume lower before the hot break then raise it right before the hop additions for ease?

Or is that not a good idea?

 

[Yooper]

On this note, separate question now all together. Would it hurt or change anything to keep the water volume lower before the hot break then raise it right before the hop additions for ease?

Or is that not a good idea?

On that question, I have no idea! I'd be guessing if I said I knew the correct answer. However, I don't see why it should matter.

 

[JJL]

On this note, separate question now all together. Would it hurt or change anything to keep the water volume lower before the hot break then raise it right before the hop additions for ease?

Or is that not a good idea?

I can only speculate as well. In recipes I've seen that call for it, there seem to be two main reasons for it. The first is hops utilization. The second is basically to keep from scorching your wort. The recipes I've seen that call for topping up your boil water are typically 2-3 gallon boil recipes.

But, I would tend to agree with Yooper. I don't think it would matter. I would say you just don't want to boil your extract with too little water in general. You don't want to burn your wort.